


The Six Steps to Loving Someone

by mthrfkrgdhrwego (universalchampbalor)



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Falling In Love, M/M, Pining, Strangers to Lovers, i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-11-19 03:58:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11305218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/universalchampbalor/pseuds/mthrfkrgdhrwego
Summary: There are six steps to loving someone- strangers, friendship, crush, fondness, devotion, and love. This is how those panned out for Simon.





	1. Strangers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> STRANGERS:  
> noun  
> a person whom one does not know or with whom one is not familiar.

When Simon first entered the Shadow World, the only person he knew was Clary. Izzy was nice, Alec was an _asshole_ , and Jace… well, Jace was an enigma. One minute he’s nice, the next he’s a jerk, the next he’s silent… Simon couldn’t figure him out.

Jace was always ready to save him, helped stitch up his wounds, and, according to Clary, he helped carry Simon to his grave. He was sweet, but denied it with everything he had.

Simon was lost.


	2. Frienship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FRIENDSHIP:  
> noun  
> a relationship of a mutual affection

Simon would say that their friendship started at the bar.

Before that, they never spent any time together. Clary tried her damnedest, but Jace didn’t like Simon and refused. Then again, he was also busy with Shadowhunter business, and dealing with the fallout from Valentine, and Simon was busy dealing with vampire stuff.

The slightly drunken flirting lessons and surprisingly easy banter was a welcome change from both of their issues.


	3. Crush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CRUSH:  
> noun  
> a brief but intense infatuation for someone

Simon had a problem.

He had thought that Jace was attractive, ever since he first laid eyes on him. Everyone knew Jace was attractive, including Jace himself. But as their friendship blossomed, that absent _‘oh-he’s-really-hot’_ turned into a full blown, _‘holy-shit-he’s-ethereal’_ , middle school _crush._

Simon had never been good with crushes. His interactions with Clary had made that more than apparent. He tried to be subtle, but something about the shit-eating grin Jace always had made him think he was doing a bad job.  



	4. Fondness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FONDNESS:  
> noun  
> affection or liking of someone

After a month or two, Simon’s crush turned into a sort of ‘ _he’s-everything-I’ve-ever-wanted-(in-a-platonic-way)’_ fondness.

Every time he saw Jace, his head spun and his heart raced (figuratively). He couldn’t fight his sluggish blush, the way his palms sweat, the way his mouth dried.

He hated it. He knew he was hedging on something dangerous, but he didn’t know how to stop it, or if he even _wanted_ to stop it. He was screwed.  



	5. Devotion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DEVOTION:  
> noun  
> passionate and selfless affection and dedication to a person

Simon’s crush, and fondness, and whatever the hell else he had turned into devotion as soon as Jace saved his life.

Maybe he was still drunk on angel blood, but as the sun fell on his face and Jace lurked behind him, unaware of his known presence, Simon realized he would die for Jace, kill for him, anything.

He realized he would _live_ for him.


	6. Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> LOVE:  
> noun  
> undefinable

Simon realized he loved Jace when he freed him from the cell that Imogen had put him and Maia in.

It took everything he had to not kiss him right then and there. The burning eyes of Clary and Maia were more than enough incentive. Somehow, he had forgotten about the girls in the few seconds that he’d seen Jace.

When he stood on stage that night at The Hunter’s Moon, he dedicated his song to the Downworld. Something inside of him itched to dedicate it to Jace, to the boy who had lost everything, lost more than what he had to begin with. He knew he couldn’t do that, though.

As he looked at Jace, stood by the door, a positively _soft_ smile on his face, he realized that maybe his feelings were requited.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm bimonlewis on Tumblr! Come bug me!


End file.
